Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Virunga Yellow’

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named ‘VIRUNGA YELLOW’ characterized by its LARGE sized blooms with YELLOW ray-florets and YELLOW-GREEN disc florets.

RELATED CULTIVARS

‘VIRUNGA YELLOW’ is related to VIRUNGA (copending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/561,939). ‘VIRUNGA YELLOW’ is a color mutant of VIRUNGA.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘VIRUNGA YELLOW’ is a product of a breeding and selection program which had the objective of finding color mutants of VIRUNGA. The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of chrysanthemum plant that is a natural occuring sport of a parent chrysanthemum named VIRUNGA. A comparison with Parent chrysanthemum VIRUNGA is also made in this application. The new cultivar was discovered as a whole plant mutation in September 1998 by Rob Noodelijk in a controlled environment (greenhouse) in Rijsenhout Holland. The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘VIRUNGA YELLOW’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in November 1998 in Rijsenhout Holland.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum bearing large sized blooms with yellow ray-florets and yellow-green disc florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar;

FIG. 3 shows the various stages of foliage and petiole of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classification Dendranthema grandiflora. The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown in a greenhouse in Rijsenhout Holland in a photo-periodic controlled crop under conditions generally used in commercial practice. The greenhouse temperatures during this crop were at day-time between 18° C. and 25° C. and at night 20° C. The photo-periodic response time in this crop was 53 days after an average of eight long days. After this long day period to flowering growth retardants were applied 6 times in an average dose of 1.5 gram/liter water. No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. This new variety produces large sized blooms with yellow ray-florets and yellow-green disc-florets blooming on the plant for 5 weeks. This new variety of chrysanthemum has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics throughout successive propagations however the phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as light intensity and temperature. To show the phenotype as described ‘VIRUNGA YELLOW’ can be planted without assimilation lightning (high pressure sodium lamps) between week 50 and week 40 of the next year under greenhouse conditions in Holland. With assimilation light (minimum level 2500 lux) it can be planted year round under greenhouse conditions in Holland.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivar in comparison to ‘VIRUNGA YELLOW’ is VIRUNGA. When VIRUNGA YELLOW and ‘VIRUNGA YELLOW’ are being compared the following differences and similarities are noticed: The difference of VIRUNGA and ‘VIRUNGA’ is the ray-floret color for which characteristics ‘VIRUNGA YELLOW’ has been selected out of VIRUNGA. ‘VIRUNGA YELLOW’ is yellow, VIRUNGA is yellow-orange. All other characteristics of VIRUNGA and ‘VIRUNGA YELLOW’ are similar.

From other commercial available varieties known to inventor ‘MIRAMAR’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,469) is most similar to ‘VIRUNGA YELLOW’. Both varieties have a large yellow daisy flower. Plant habit and shape, foliage form and color are general differences, but also flower color and shape are different. ‘virunga yellow’ has a lemon yellow flower and the ray-florets are smaller/longer than the ray-florets of ‘MIRAMAR’. (3) The disc-floret of ‘VIRUNGA YELLOW’ is smaller.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish ‘VIRUNGA YELLOW’ as a new and distinct variety. The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart used in this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, edition 1995.

TABLE 1 Botanical Description of CULTIVAR ‘VIRUNGA YELLOW’ Bud Size Large; Cross-section 1.0 cm height 1.0 cm Outside Color Green-yellow 1 A Involucral bracts 2 rows, length 7 mm, width 3 mm Involucral bracts Not present among disc-florets Involucral bracts Yellow-green 146 D color Bloom Type Daisy Height Flat Size Large Fully Expanded 6.5-7.0 cm. Borne (number of Approx. 4 blooms per blooms per branch) branch Performance on the 5 weeks plant Seeds Not produced Fragrance Typical chrysanthemum Color Center of the flower Immature yellow-green 144 (disc-florets) A Mature yellow-orange 15 C Color of upper Yellow 3 A surface of the ray- florets Color of the lower Yellow 4 B surface of the ray- florets Tonality from A pot mum with large Distance yellow flowers and a green disc Discoloration to None color Ray florets Texture Upper and under side smooth. Number 27-30 Cross-section Concave Longitudinal axis of Reflexing majority Length of corolla Short tube Ray-floret length 3.2-3.5 cm. Ray-floret width 0.8-1.0 cm. Ratio length/width Medium Shape of tip Pointed Disc florets Disc diameter 1.2-1.4 cm. Distribution of disc Numerous clearly visible at florets all stages of flowering. Shape Tubular Color Yellow-green 144 A Receptacle shape Conical Reproductive Organs Stamen (present in Yellow-green, thick, 4 mm. disc florets only) Number of stamen Grown together as one Stamen color Yellow-green 144 C Pollen Present at mature stage Pollen color Yellow-orange 12 A Styles (present in Yellow-green, thin both ray and disc florets) Style color Yellow-green 14 C Style Length 5 mm. Stigmas Yellow-green Stigma Width 2 mm. Ovaries Enclosed in calyx Plant Form A pot mum meant for indoor use Growth habit Spreading Growth rate Rapid Height 24-26 cm. Width 26-28 cm. Stem Color Yellow-green 146 D Stem Strength Medium to strong Stem Brittleness Absent Stem Anthocyanin Absent Coloration Length of lateral From top to bottom 12-13 cm branch Lateral branch, Weak attachment Branching (average Poor with 3 breaks after number) pinching Peduncle length 3.5-4.5 cm. Peduncle color Yellow-green 146 D Flowering 53 days Response (photo- periodic controlled crop, not natural season) Foliage Color Upper side green 137 A under side green 147 B Size Medium; length 7.0 cm, width 5.0 cm Quantity (number per 6-8 lateral branch) Shape Ovate Texture upper side Glabrous Texture under side Pubescent Venation arrangement Palmate Shape of the margin Serrated Shape of Base of Round Sinus Between Lateral Lobes Margin of Sinus Converging Between Lateral Lobes Shape of Base Rounded (sometimes asymmetric) Apex Mucronate

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison Varieties ‘VIRUNGA YELLOW’ ‘VIRUNGA’ ‘MIRAMAR’ Ray-floret color Yellow 3 A Yellow- Yellow 5 A orange 22 A Disc-floret size 1.2-1.4 cm. 1.2-1.4 cm. 1.4-1.7 cm. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described 